Vinho Verde

Background: Its name, “Alba-Riño” means “the white [wine] from the Rhine”. Albariño is currently one of Spain’s most fashionable white grape varietals. It produces a light aromatic wine with apricot and white peach scents, similar to a lighter version of a Viognier. The Rias Baixas region of northwestern Spain is the best known producer. In Portugal, Alvarinho, the same grape with a different name, produces a very light, low alcohol, unripe and acidic wine called Vinho Verde (literally “green wine”). It does not have the aromatics of the Rias Baixas Albariño but it is often made with a little “frizzante”, small bubbles that give a refreshing tingle to the palate. Occasionally some red grapes are thrown in to make it a rosé or pale red color. It can be a delightful summertime wine.